rasp 1 of 2

as in scratch
a harsh grating sound the rusted lock opened with a rasp

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

rasp

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to scratch
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the sound of fingernails rasping on the blackboard makes me cringe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rasp
Noun
The crowd was eating out of the palm of his hand, hanging on every word spit with that signature rasp. Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 18 Aug. 2025 The Chicks were really big on my radar, and Faith Hill—I was obsessed with her voice, the rasp in it. As Told To Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 9 June 2025
Verb
The Argentina legend stepped up and rasped the ball into the top corner. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025 While Mullan’s natural voice shares Shankly’s rasping quality, their inflexions are different. Simon Hughes, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rasp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasp
Noun
  • Kunin returns after being a healthy scratch for the game against the Golden Knights.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Save as a collection on MyRecipes Made-from-scratch recipes are always great for sharing at the Church potluck, welcoming a new baby, or greeting new neighbors to the block.
    Emma Ashe, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Cut any branches that rub against one another or are crossed down to the ground.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
  • On the floor of their tiny makeshift home in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, her mother Fatima Begum feeds Sofiya by rubbing her gums with a food paste designed to treat severe malnutrition.
    Rebecca Wright, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Beat until combined, scraping bowl as needed.
    Jenavieve Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The right side was scraped down more.
    Antonio Losada, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While Johnson had plenty to be pleased with, he was annoyed by the number of penalties and said the offense has to do a better job of running the football.
    Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
  • They’re built not to resist developers but, as their name suggests, they’re intentionally designed, with a degree of malice, to annoy someone specific.
    Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That’s the estimate for Coppola’s unique watch, which the Godfather director wore at the Cannes premiere of Megalopolis.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Crews wear thermal base layers, overalls, and analog spacesuits when working outdoors.
    Rosanna Philpott, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Almog hears the creak of the trapdoor opening, hushed whispers, approaching footsteps.
    Eli Sharabi, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The town’s departments are squeezed into tight quarters where the floor creaks with each step and thin walls make no conversation truly private.
    Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Kiser later filed a lawsuit to keep records about her son’s death out of public view.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The arrests stem from a warrant and criminal complaint filed by the Phelps County Attorney’s Office following a police investigation.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.
    Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Chinch bugs overwinter in moist, deep thatch.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasp. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on rasp

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!